Case with a structure for receiving a bolt

ABSTRACT

A case has a base and a bolt assembly. The base has a distal sidewall with a mounting hole and a proximal sidewall with a large hole and a small hole. The small hole communicates with the large hole. The bolt assembly has a bolt. The bolt has a proximal end, a distal end and a stopping flange. The proximal end protrudes into the large hole via the mounting hole and is engaged with the small hole. The distal end protrudes into the mounting hole and has a knob abutting an outer surface of the distal sidewall. The stopping flange is annular and protrudes around the bolt. The knob and the stopping flange allow the bolt to connect securely with the base. The case can be assembled and disassembled quickly and easily without using any tool, which saves time and lowers cost.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a case, and more particularly to a casewith a structure allowing a bolt to be engaged with or be detached fromthe case easily.

2. Description of the Related Art

With reference to FIG. 5, a conventional case has a base (40) and a boltassembly (50).

The base (40) has two sides, a proximal sidewall (41) and a distalsidewall (42). The sidewalls (41, 42) are formed perpendicularly on thesides and are formed in parallel with each other. The proximal sidewall(41) has a circular hole (43) define through the proximal sidewall (41).The distal sidewall (42) has an outer surface, an inner surface and amounting hole (44). The inner surface faces the proximal sidewall (41).The mounting hole (44) is defined through the distal sidewall (42) andcorresponds to the circular hole (43).

The bolt assembly (50) has a bolt (51) and a C-clip (52). The bolt (51)has a proximal end (53) and a distal end (54) respectively correspondingto the proximal sidewall (41) and the distal sidewall (42). The proximalend (53) protrudes into and is engaged with the circular hole (43) viathe mounting hole (44) and has a thread (55). The distal end protrudesinto and is engaged with the mounting hole (44) and has a knob and anannular groove (511). The knob abuts the outer surface of the distalsidewall (42) to prevent the bolt (51) from moving forward. The annulargroove (511) is formed in the distal end near the inner surface of thedistal sidewall (42). The C-clip (52) is engaged with the annular groove(51 1) after the knob abuts outer surface of the distal sidewall (42) toprevent the bolt (51) from inadvertently moving out of the proximal anddistal sidewalls (41, 42). Therefore, the knob of the bolt (40) and theC-clip (52) allow the bolt (51) to be engaged with the base (40) firmly.

With further reference to FIG. 6, the conventional case is usuallyprovided in a power supply (60), which connects with a load (70, may bea system). Because the proximal end (53) protrudes out of the proximalsidewall (41) and has an outer thread (55), the proximal sidewall (41)is allowed to protrude into and be screwed into a threaded hole (71) ofthe load (70).

However, both installing the C-clip (52) on the bolt (51) and detachingthe C-clip (52) from the bolt (51) need a tool, which makes anassembling procedure or disassembling procedure complicated with anincreased cost.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a case withstructure for receiving bolt to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a case witha structure allowing a bolt to be engaged with or be detached from thecase easily.

To achieve the objective, the case in accordance with the presentinvention has a base and a bolt assembly. The base has a proximalsidewall and a distal sidewall. The proximal sidewall has a locking holeincluding a large hole and a small hole. The small hole is definedthrough the proximal sidewall and communicates with the large hole. Thedistal sidewall has a mounting hole. The bolt assembly has a bolt. Thebolt has a proximal end, a distal end and a stopping flange. Theproximal end protrudes into the locking hole via the mounting hole andis engaged with the small hole. The distal end protrudes into themounting hole and has a knob abutting an outer surface of the distalsidewall. The stopping flange is annular and protrudes around the bolt.The knob and the stopping flange allow the bolt to connect securely withthe base. The case of the present invention can be assembled anddisassembled quickly and easily without using any tool, which saves timeand lowers cost.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base of a case in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the base of the case in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the base of the case in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a side view in partial section of a case in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a base of a conventional case inaccordance with the prior art; and

FIG. 6 is a side view in partial section of the conventional case inFIG. 5 connecting with a load.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a case in accordance with the presentinvention is used in a power supply and has a base (10), a bolt assembly(20) and a cover (30).

With further reference to FIG. 2, the base (10) has two sides, aproximal sidewall (11) and a distal sidewall (12). The proximal anddistal sidewalls (11, 12) are formed perpendicularly respectively on thesides and are formed in parallel with each other. The proximal sidewall(11) has an inner surface, an outer surface and a locking hole. Thelocking hole has a large hole (13) and a small hole (14). The large hole(13) is defined through the proximal sidewall (11). The small hole (14)is defined through the proximal sidewall (11), communicates with thelarge hole (13) and may be formed above, below or beside the large hole(13). Preferably, the small hole (14) is formed below the large hole(13). The distal sidewall (12) has an outer surface, an inner surfaceand a mounting hole (15). The inner surface of the distal sidewall (12)faces the inner surface of the proximal sidewall (11). The mounting hole(15) is defined through the distal sidewall (12) and is coaxial to thesmall hole (14).

With further reference to FIG. 3, the bolt assembly (20) has a bolt(21).

The bolt (21) has a proximal end (22), a distal end (23), a stoppingflange (25) and a limiting flange (26). The proximal and distal ends(22, 23) respectively correspond to the proximal sidewall (11) and thedistal sidewall (12). The proximal end (22) protrudes into the lockinghole via the mounting hole (15), is engaged with the small hole (14) andhas a thread (24). The distal end (23) protrudes into the mounting hole(15) and has a knob (23′). The knob (23′) abuts the outer surface of thedistal sidewall (12). The stopping flange (25) is annular, protrudesaround the bolt (21) near the thread (24) and has an outer diameter. Theouter diameter of the stopping flange (25) is smaller than a diameter ofthe large hole (13) and is larger than a diameter of the small hole(14), so the stopping flange (25) can only pass through the large hole(13) to allow proximal end (22) the bolt (21) to enter the small hole(14) from the large hole (13). The stopping flange (25) abuts the outersurface of the proximal sidewall (11) when the proximal end (22) of thebolt (21) enters the small hole (14) from the large hole (13). Thelimiting flange (26) is annular and protrudes around the bolt (21)between the stopping flange (25) and the distal sidewall (12).

Therefore, the knob (23′) prevents the bolt (20) from moving forward theproximal sidewall (11) while the stopping flange (25) prevents the bolt(20) from moving backward the distal sidewall (12). Accordingly, theknob (23′) and the stopping flange (25) allow the bolt (20) to connectsecurely with the base (10).

The bolt assembly (20) may further have a resilient element (27) and alimiting element (28).

The resilient element (27) may be a compression spring and is mountedaround the bolt (21) between the stopping flange (25) and the limitingflange (26).

The limiting element (28) may be a ring, is mounted around the bolt (21)between the resilient element (27) and the stopping flange (25) and hasan outer diameter. The outer diameter of the limiting element (28) islarger than the diameter of the large hole (13). The limiting element(28) is pushed by the resilient element (27) to abut the inner surfaceof the proximal sidewall (11) and to increase friction between thelimiting element (28) and the proximal sidewall (11) and frictionbetween the stopping flange (25) and the proximal sidewall (11).Therefore, the stopping flange (25) and the limiting element (28)sandwich the proximal sidewall (11), so the bolt (21) is engaged withthe base (10) firmly rather than moves easily from the small hole (14)to the large hole (13).

With reference to FIG. 4, the cover (30) is L-shaped, covers the base(10) and has a flat and a sidewall (31). The sidewall (31) is formedperpendicularly on a side of the flat, corresponds to the proximalsidewall (11), shields the large hole (13) and has a through hole (32).The through hole (32) is defined through the sidewall (31), is coaxialto the small hole (14), receives the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21)and has a dimension. The dimension of the through hole (32) is similaror the same with a dimension of the small hole (14), which allows theproximal end (22) of the bolt (21) to pass through the through hole (32)and prevents the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) from moving back tothe large hole (13). Therefore, the bolt (21) cannot move back to thelarge hole (13) and cannot be detached from the case after the cover(30) covers the base (10).

The case with the bolt (21) of the present invention is assembled byfollowing actions:

(a) The proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) passes through into themounting hole (15) in the distal sidewall (12) of the base (10);

(b) The resilient element (27) is mounted around the bolt (21) to abutthe limiting flange (26) and then limiting element (28) is mountedaround the bolt (21) to abut the resilient element (27);

(c) The proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) and the stopping flange (25)pass through the large hole (13) and move downward to allow the bolt(21) to be mounted in the small hole (14), so the stopping flange (25)and the limiting element (28) sandwich the proximal sidewall (11);

(d) The cover (30) covers the base (10) and the proximal end (22) of thebolt (21) passes through the through hole (32) in the sidewall (31) ofthe cover (30), which allow the bolt (21) to be engaged securely withthe case.

The case is dissembled by detaching the base (10) and the cover (30),moving the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) from the small hole (14)to the large hole (13), moving the bolt (21) toward the distal sidewall(23), and taking the bolt (21) out of the case from the mounting hole(15).

Therefore, the case of the present invention can be assembled anddisassembled quickly and easily without using any tool, which saves timeand lowers cost.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and function of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail,especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within theprinciples of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broadgeneral meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A case adapted for being used in a power supply comprising: a basehaving a proximal sidewall having a locking hole including a large holebeing defined through the proximal sidewall and a small hole beingdefined through the proximal sidewall and communicating with the largehole; and a distal sidewall having a mounting hole being defined throughthe distal sidewall; and a bolt assembly having a bolt with a proximalend, a distal end and a stopping flange, wherein the proximal endprotrudes into the locking hole via the mounting hole and is engagedwith the small hole; the distal end protrudes into the mounting hole andhas a knob abutting an outer surface of the distal sidewall; thestopping flange is annular, protrudes around the bolt and has an outerdiameter that is smaller than a diameter of the large hole and is largerthan a diameter of the small hole.
 2. The case as claimed in claim 1further comprising a cover covering the base and having a flat and asidewall that is formed perpendicularly on a side of the flat,corresponds to the proximal sidewall, shielding the large hole and has athrough hole being defined through the sidewall, being coaxial to thesmall hole and receiving the proximal end of the bolt.
 3. The case asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the bolt further has a limiting flange beingannular and protruding around the bolt between the stopping flange andthe distal sidewall; the bolt assembly further has a resilient elementbeing mounted around the bolt between the stopping flange and thelimiting flange; and a limiting element being mounted around the boltbetween the resilient element and the stopping flange and having anouter diameter that is larger than the diameter of the large hole. 4.The case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the limiting element is a ring.5. The case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the small hole is formedbelow the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.6. The case as claimed in claim 2, wherein the small hole is formedbelow the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.7. The case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the small hole is formedbelow the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.8. The case as claimed in claim 4, wherein the small hole is formedbelow the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.9. The case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the bolthas a thread.
 10. The case as claimed in claim 2, wherein the proximalend of the bolt has a thread.
 11. The case as claimed in claim 3,wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.
 12. The case asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.13. The case as claimed in claim 5, wherein the proximal end of the bolthas a thread.
 14. The case as claimed in claim 6, wherein the proximalend of the bolt has a thread.
 15. The case as claimed in claim 7,wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.
 16. The case asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.